A Sneaky New Diabetes Trigger

You spritz on some perfume in the morning, freshen up your lipstick after lunch, and moisturize your hands throughout the day. But it turns out these everyday habits may be upping your risk of diabetes by as much as 30%, according to a recent study in Diabetes Care. The culprit: phthalates, a class of chemicals found in everything from cosmetics and candles, to dish soap and plastic storage containers.

Researchers analyzed the blood of more than 1,000 70-year-old adults in India and found that the more phthalates they had in their bloodstreams, the higher their blood sugars were. Why? Phthalates are believed to disrupt hormones in the body, and diabetes is a hormonal disease—so it follows that the more hormone-disrupting chemicals you have, the more likely you are to get diabetes.

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While more studies are needed to confirm that phthalates are in fact a trigger for diabetes, the chemical has already been linked to a slew of other health problems, including autism, weight gain, infertility, and even some cancers. Here’s how to cut down on your exposure in your everyday products:

Your personal care products You’re not likely to find “phthalate” on the ingredient list of your shampoo or lotion; the chemical is allowed to fall under the catchall terms "parfum" or "fragrance," vague terms that can refer to up 7,000 different chemicals. Your best bet is to avoid products listing "fragrance" or "parfum," and to keep your eyes peeled for products that say “phthalate-free” on their labels (Neutrogena Naturals is an affordable and easily-found phthalate-free line). You can also search the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to see how safe your current products are.

Your air fresheners Scented household products, including candles, air fresheners, and scented cleaning and laundry supplies, are usually loaded with phthalates. Opt for unscented household products whenever possible, and switch to beeswax candles for ambience instead of scented paraffin ones—when burned, beeswax produces negative ions that actually clean the air.

Your diet If you need another reason to go organic, avoiding phthalates should top the list—previous studies have shown the chemical to be in conventional produce. One theory is that since phthalates are in so many products that get washed down the drain, it’s likely that it ends up in human sewage sludge, which can be used as a fertilizer on nonorganic crops.